Job prospects Pharmacist in Nova Scotia

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "pharmacist" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nova Scotia

The recent trends from the past 3 years were updated on July 25, 2025. The job outlooks over the next 3 years were updated on December 10, 2025.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be Good for pharmacists (NOC 31120) in Nova Scotia for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
• Recent graduates from fields of study related to this occupation have found it difficult to find work.

During the past decade, a surplus of pharmacists has given way to a shortage. Pharmacists looking for work in the province should have little difficulty finding employment. Larger employers such as chain pharmacies and grocery stores are hiring continuously, while smaller independent pharmacies hire occasionally as needed.



Demand for this occupation has increased due to the aging and growing population in the province. Pharmacists have also been part of a trend of broadening scope of practice for health care professionals in the context of a physician shortage. Due to both factors, upward pressure on salaries has been noted, improving opportunities for jobseekers. The wider scope of practice has also served to increase in interest in the profession; even so, the domestic supply of new graduates is currently not meeting demand, so some employers have been recruiting internationally.

Here are some key facts about pharmacists in Nova Scotia:

• Approximately 1,450 people work in this occupation.
• Pharmacists mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 82%
  • Hospitals (NAICS 622): 16%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 78% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 22% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 81% of pharmacists work all year, while 19% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 47 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• 9% of pharmacists are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 26% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 74% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: n/a
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 27% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 80% compared to 20% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 18% compared to 10% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Nova Scotia by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

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